INGREDIENT 1
Moisture
Enough water vapor must be available to form deep cloud and precipitation. Dewpoint is a common measure.
THUNDERSTORM INGREDIENTS
All three ingredients are required
INGREDIENT 2
Instability
A lifted parcel must remain warmer and more buoyant than the surrounding air so vertical growth can continue.
INGREDIENT 3
Lift
A trigger starts the upward motion. Heating, fronts, convergence, terrain, drylines, and outflow boundaries can supply it.
CELL LIFE CYCLE
Watch the airflow change
↑↑
STAGE 1Towering cumulus
Strong updrafts dominate. The cloud grows vertically, but precipitation has not yet reached the surface.
↑↓ϟ
STAGE 2Mature
Precipitation reaches the surface. Updrafts and downdrafts coexist, and hazards are at their greatest.
↓↓
STAGE 3Dissipating
Downdrafts dominate and cut off the moisture supply. A weakening appearance does not mean the cell is safe.
AVIATION WEATHER
A thunderstorm is more than rain
Present in every thunderstorm by definition.
Powerful vertical currents can exceed aircraft capability.
May occur inside the cloud and beyond the visible storm.
Strong descending air creates dangerous low-level wind shear.
Outflow can extend well ahead of the precipitation core.
Visibility falls while radar attenuation can hide what lies beyond.
BUILD A STORM AROUND THE WORLD
Load the Atmosphere Chamber
Select an action to add it. Select it again to remove it. Combine actions until moisture, instability, and lift are all sufficient.
EASY CHALLENGE
Singapore
Warm, humid tropical air is already primed. Supply an effective trigger without disrupting the other ingredients.
2 ACTION LIMITATMOSPHERE ACTIONS
0 ACTIONS SELECTED
Choose what to add
SWIPE TO BROWSE ACTIONS
LIVE EXPERIMENT
Atmosphere Chamber
SELECT AN ACTION TO BEGIN
REACTION
The chamber is waiting for atmospheric actions.
✓
THUNDERSTORM CREATED
SCENARIO QUIZ
Read the atmosphere
SCENARIO 1 OF 10
Which three ingredients are required for thunderstorm formation?
Select the best answer.